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Wednesday, September 19, 2007

MRU Expects To Meet Thailand In Rugby Final At SEA Games

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU) is confident that its squad will be able to advance to the final at the Korat Sea Games in December.

It also expected to meet hosts Thailand who won two golds in 1995, MRU general manager Nabil Ahmad Marzuki told Bernama here Tuesday.

"Besides Malaysia and Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore and Brunei have also confirmed their participation in Korat," he said.

Rugby was first introduced at the Sea Games in 1967 in Bangkok where Malaysia won a silver. Malaysia got another silver in 1975 also in Bangkok and a bronze in 1977 in Jakarta.

The last time the sport was held at the Sea Games was in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 1995 when Malaysia bagged two silvers in both 15-a-side and 7-a-side. Thailand won the golds.

In Korat from Dec 6 to 15, two golds are up for grabs in men's and women's 7-a-side. Malaysia will only take part in the men's category.

The matches will be held at the Suranaree Camp Stadium in Korat.

Nabil said the MRU was confident of making it to the final because the squad emerged fourth best in the Asian Satellite Seven-A-Side Rubgy Championship in Sri Lanka last week.

MRU also believed that among the strong contenders for the medals were Thailand and Singapore, he said.

He also said that the MRU presently had 25 trainees under the guidance of Mohd Romly Saad and the best 12 players would be selected for the Korat challenge after a seven-a-side tournament in Singapore on Oct 27 and 28.